Green building news roundup

LEED legalities, California water reduction, and a sustainability series top this week’s green building news.

There were a lot of really interesting green building articles published on blogs and online news sites this week and so today, I’m going to share some of my favorite green building articles from the last week.

“The first lawsuit related to LEED, a green-building certification standard, occurred in Maryland, where a new condominium failed to get LEED certification and a certificate of occupancy in time to get substantial tax credits associated with green building.” Green Inc

The majority of LEED certification news that crosses my inbox is upbeat and optimistic, however there is a darker side to the green building industry. All aspects of the building industry are open to litigation but eco-friendly projects have an opportunity for some more unique cases.

GreenBuildings.com posted an article about a new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council targeted at helping California businesses reduce their water usage. The report looks at several specific areas in which water saving measures can be taken: landscaping, cooling, taps, showerheads, and toilets. Read the entire article: Report Shows How Calif. Businesses Can Cut Water Use in Half.

The Oregon Live website posted an article that discusses a Summer Sustainability Series that will provide attendees with a week-long primer on green building and sustainable agriculture. The boot camp will begin on June 22, 2009.

“The program, sponsored by the Oregon University System and the Oregon Business Council, was created to tap into Oregon's network of green building experts and to take its participants out of meeting rooms and into the super-efficient buildings themselves.” Source: OregonLive